NEWARK, NJ – According to Patch.com, a 72-year-old man was hit by a garbage truck and killed last Friday, December 7, 2018, in Newark. The accident happened close to Lincoln Park Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue at about 1:38 in the afternoon. The authorities have not yet released the victim’s name. The driver of the truck […]
NEWARK, NJ – According to Patch.com, a 72-year-old man was hit by a garbage truck and killed last Friday, December 7, 2018, in Newark. The accident happened close to Lincoln Park Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue at about 1:38 in the afternoon.
The authorities have not yet released the victim’s name.
The driver of the truck left the scene of the crash after hitting the victim. Police were able to locate the man, 53-year-old Napoleon Tolbert, and question him regarding the incident. Tolbert was later charged with “leaving the scene of a fatal crash and failure to render aid to an injured victim.”
Garbage trucks are notoriously dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists. Trucks cause about one-third of all cyclist deaths in New York City, and sanitation trucks are some of the most dangerous. Garbage trucks kill more pedestrians and cyclists than any other kind of motor vehicle.
The issue is that trucks are big, difficult to maneuver, and have poor visibility. These massive vehicles have huge blind spots, and in many cases, the side of the vehicles do not have railings that could stop people from becoming stuck beneath the trucks and run over.
It is important for everyone to remember that the person operating a truck cannot see you unless you can see them in the truck’s mirrors. When trucks are turning right, the driver is not able to see anything to the right of their vehicle. It is important not to get caught in this area around a truck.
Pedestrians and cyclists would benefit if trucks were designed to take into account the safety of these vulnerable road users. In the meantime, it is important to exercise extreme caution in the presence of these vehicles.
